arteries and veins

ascending aorta

• It receives blood from the heart.

• It sends blood to the coronary arteries, which supply the heart itself.

• It leads into the aortic arch, which distributes blood to the head, arms, and lower body.

aortic arch

directs oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the upper body and beyond.

• It receives blood from the ascending aorta.

• It gives off three major arteries that supply blood to the head, neck, and arms:

  1. Brachiocephalic artery → Right arm & right side of the head.

  2. Left common carotid artery → Left side of the head & brain.

  3. Left subclavian artery → Left arm.

• It then continues as the descending aorta, sending blood to the lower body.

Thoracic Aorta

Part of the descending aorta that runs through the chest (thorax). It carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the organs and tissues in the upper body (except the head and arms).

Simple Function:

• Receives blood from the aortic arch.

• Sends blood to the chest area, including:

  • Ribs & chest muscles (via intercostal arteries).

  • Lungs (not for oxygenation, but for nourishment).

  • Esophagus (for digestion).

  • Diaphragm (for breathing).

• It then continues as the abdominal aorta, supplying the lower body

abdominal aorta

• Receives blood from the thoracic aorta (as it passes through the diaphragm).

• Sends blood to the abdomen and lower body by branching into several important arteries, including:

  1. Celiac artery → Supplies blood to the stomach, liver, spleen, and other digestive organs.

  2. Superior mesenteric artery → Supplies blood to the small intestine and part of the large intestine.

  3. Renal arteries → Supply blood to the kidneys.

  4. Inferior mesenteric artery → Supplies blood to the lower part of the large intestine.

  5. Common iliac arteries → Supply blood to the legs and pelvic organs.

brachiocephalic trunk

carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the upper right side of the body

delivers blood to the right arm and right side of the head

• Receives blood from the aortic arch.

• It quickly branches into two arteries:

  1. Right subclavian artery → Supplies blood to the right arm.

  2. Right common carotid artery → Supplies blood to the right side of the head and neck.

subclavian artery

• major blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the arms, chest, and neck.

• The right subclavian artery comes from the brachiocephalic trunk (which is a branch of the aortic arch), and the left subclavian artery comes directly from the aortic arch.

• It has two main branches:

  1. Vertebral artery → Supplies blood to the brain and spinal cord.

  2. Internal thoracic artery → Supplies blood to the chest wall and breast tissue.

• The subclavian artery continues as the axillary artery once it passes under the clavicle (collarbone) and moves into the arm.

celiac trunk

• First branch off the abdominal aorta

• A major distributor of oxygenated blood to key digestive organs, ensuring proper blood flow to structures like the stomach, liver, and spleen for digestion and metabolism

  Three main arteries:

  1. Left gastric artery → Supplies blood to the stomach.

  2. Common hepatic artery → Supplies blood to the liver, gallbladder, and parts of the stomach and duodenum.

  3. Splenic artery → Supplies blood to the spleen, pancreas, and parts of the stomach.

common hepatic artery

supplies the liver, stomach, pancreas, and duodenum (part of the small intestine)

splenic artery

supplies the spleen, stomach, and pancreas

left gastric artery

supplies the stomach

middle suprarenal arteries

supplies the adrenal glands

renal arteries

• two of them

• supply the kidneys

superior mesenteric artery

supplies the small and most of the large intestine

gonadal arteries

• below the superior mesenteric artery

• supply the reproductive organs or gonads

inferior mesenteric artery

• largest branch off the abdominal aorta

• supplies the remainder of the large intestine

common iliac artery

supply oxygen-rich blood to the pelvic organs and lower limbs (legs).

internal iliac artery

supplies structures of the pelvis (bladder, uterus, rectum, and reproductive organs)

external iliac artery

becomes the femoral artery; supplies blood to the thighs and the lower legs

posterior tibial artery

• a major artery in the lower leg that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the calf muscles, foot, and ankle.

• a branch of the popliteal artery

common carotid arteries

major blood vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the head and neck

right common carotid artery

• It arises from the brachiocephalic trunk, which is a branch of the aortic arch.

• It travels upward on the right side of the neck and divides into two branches:

  1. Right internal carotid artery → Supplies blood to the brain, eyes, and parts of the head.

  2. Right external carotid artery → Supplies blood to the face, neck, scalp, and jaw.

Main Role:

The right common carotid artery is like the main blood vessel that delivers oxygenated blood to the brain and other critical parts of the head and neck on the right side of the body

left common carotid artery

• The left common carotid artery arises directly from the aortic arch (unlike the right common carotid, which comes from the brachiocephalic trunk).

• It travels upward along the left side of the neck and divides into two branches:

  1. Left internal carotid artery → Supplies blood to the brain, eyes, and other important head structures.

  2. Left external carotid artery → Supplies blood to the face, neck, scalp, and jaw.

external carotid artery

A major blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the face, neck, scalp, and jaw.

Simple Function:

• The external carotid artery arises from either the right or left common carotid artery, depending on the side of the body.

superficial temporal artery

A branch of the external carotid artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the scalp and temporal region of the head.

Simple Function:

• It runs along the side of the head, above the ear, and provides blood to the scalp, forehead, and the temples.

• It has several branches, including:

  • Frontal branch → Supplies the front part of the scalp.

  • Parietal branch → Supplies the top part of the scalp.

internal carotid artery

A major blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain, eyes, and other important structures inside the head.

Simple Function:

• Aa branch of either the right or left common carotid artery, depending on the side of the body.

• It travels upward through the neck, enters the skull through the carotid canal, and branches into smaller arteries that supply blood to critical areas in the brain, including:

  1. Ophthalmic artery → Supplies blood to the eyes and parts of the orbit.

  2. Anterior cerebral artery → Supplies blood to the frontal lobes and medial portions of the cerebral hemispheres.

  3. Middle cerebral artery → Supplies blood to the lateral parts of the cerebral hemispheres, including the motor and sensory cortices.

ophthalmic artery

Supplies blood to the eyes and parts of the orbit.

Anterior cerebral artery

Supplies blood to the frontal lobes and medial portions of the cerebral hemispheres.

Middle cerebral artery

Supplies blood to the lateral parts of the cerebral hemispheres, including the motor and sensory cortices.

vertebral artery

supplies the posterior portion of the cerebrum, cerebellum, pons, and inner ear

basilar artery

a major artery in the brain that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brainstem, cerebellum, and posterior part of the brain

posterior cerebral artery

In the brain that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the occipital lobe (responsible for vision) and parts of the temporal lobes.

cerebral arterial circle

a circular network of arteries located at the base of the brain. Its main role is to provide a redundant (backup) blood supply to the brain, ensuring that if one artery is blocked or narrowed, the blood can still reach the brain through alternate pathways.

anterior communicating artery

connects the left and right anterior cerebral arteries across the midline of the brain

posterior communicating arteries

connect the posterior cerebral arteries to the internal carotid arteries

axillary artery

major blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the shoulder, upper arm, and parts of the chest.

brachial artery

major blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the upper arm

a continuation of the axillary artery and runs down the upper arm, along the inner side of the arm, from the armpit to just below the elbow

radial artery

major blood vessel in the forearm that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the forearm and hand.

ulnar artery

a major blood vessel in the forearm that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the forearm and hand, particularly the pinky side of the arm

femoral artery

a major blood vessel in the thigh that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the thigh, knee, and parts of the lower leg

a continuation of the external iliac artery and passes through the inguinal ligament into the thigh

popliteal artery

a major blood vessel located behind the knee that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the knee joint, lower leg, and foot

anterior tibial artery

Supplies blood to the front of the lower leg and eventually becomes the dorsalis pedis artery at the foot.

dorsalis pedis artery

• a continuation of the anterior tibial artery after it passes the ankle.

• It runs along the dorsum (top) of the foot and provides blood to the toes and the muscles, bones, and skin on the top of the foot.

superior vena cava

• Carries blood from the upper half of the body, including the head, neck, arms, and chest.

• It receives blood from veins like the jugular veins (from the head and neck) and the subclavian veins (from the arms).

• Empties this blood into the right atrium of the heart.

inferior vena cava

• The carries blood from the lower half of the body, including the legs, abdomen, and pelvis.

• It collects blood from veins like the iliac veins (from the legs and pelvis) and renal veins (from the kidneys).

• Like the superior vena cava, it empties the blood into the right atrium of the heart.

azygos system

a network of veins that drains blood from the thoracic wall and parts of the abdomen, and returns it to the superior vena cava.

azygos vein

plays a role in draining deoxygenated blood from the thoracic wall and parts of the abdomen.

hemiazygos vein

helps drain deoxygenated blood from the left side of the thoracic region into the azygos vein.

accessory hemiazygos vein

helps drain deoxygenated blood from the left side of the upper thoracic region, specifically from the left intercostal veins and other structures, and directs it to the azygos vein

renal vein

a blood vessel that drains deoxygenated blood from the kidneys and returns it to the inferior vena cava.

gonadal vein

collect blood from the gonads, which have been involved in hormone production and other functions, and help return the deoxygenated blood to the heart for re-oxygenation

suprarenal vein

a blood vessel that drains deoxygenated blood from the adrenal glands and returns it to the inferior vena cava or renal veins

splenic vein

part of the portal circulation, helping to return blood from the spleen, stomach, and pancreas to the liver, where nutrients and waste products are processed

gastric veins

blood vessels that drain deoxygenated blood from the stomach and return it to the portal vein, which carries the blood to the liver

superior mesenteric vein

drains deoxygenated blood from the small intestine, parts of the large intestine, and other abdominal organs, and returns it to the portal vein, which then carries the blood to the liver.

inferior mesenteric vein

drains deoxygenated blood from the lower part of the large intestine and returns it to the portal vein

hepatic portal vein

a large vein that carries nutrient-rich, deoxygenated blood from the digestive organs (such as the stomach, intestines, and spleen) to the live

hepatic veins

carry deoxygenated blood away from the liver and return it to the inferior vena cava, which then carries the blood back to the right atrium of the heart.

vertebral vein

blood vessel that drains deoxygenated blood from the vertebral column, spinal cord, and parts of the neck, and returns it to the subclavian vein, which then drains into the brachiocephalic vein.

external jugular vein

large vein located on the side of the neck that drains deoxygenated blood from the head, neck, and parts of the face, and returns it to the subclavian vein.

internal jugular vein

a large vein located in the neck that drains deoxygenated blood from the brain, face, neck, and parts of the skull, and returns it to the brachiocephalic vein, which then drains into the superior vena cava.

dural sinuses

a system of venous channels located within the dura mater (the tough outer layer of the meninges covering the brain) that collect deoxygenated blood from the brain and return it to the internal jugular veins for circulation back to the heart

superior sagittal sinus

collects deoxygenated blood from the cerebral veins, which drain blood from the brain.

inferior sagittal sinus

collects deoxygenated blood from the deep structures of the brain, particularly from the cerebral veins.

straight sinus

draining blood from the deep brain structures and helping to direct this deoxygenated blood toward the transverse sinuses, ultimately returning it to the internal jugular veins and the heart

transverse sinus

draining deoxygenated blood from the brain. It channels this blood toward the sigmoid sinuses, which then lead to the internal jugular veins, allowing the blood to be returned to the heart for reoxygenation

sigmoid sinus

It drains deoxygenated blood from the brain and eventually leads to the internal jugular vein.

cavernous sinus

• located on each side of the sella turcica

• It collects blood from the eye, brain, and face and directs it toward the internal jugular vein

radial vein

located in the forearm that drains deoxygenated blood from the lateral (thumb-side) aspect of the forearm and hand

ulnar vein

a blood vessel located in the forearm that drains deoxygenated blood from the medial (pinky-side) aspect of the forearm and hand

brachial vein

A large vein in the upper arm that drains deoxygenated blood from the forearm and upper arm. It is formed by the union of the radial vein and ulnar vein.

Cephalic vein

A major superficial vein responsible for draining blood from the upper limb, particularly from the lateral side of the arm, and returning it to the central venous circulation via the subclavian vein (used for IVs)

median antebrachial vein

a superficial vein located in the forearm that drains blood from the palm and anterior forearm

axillary vein

• A large vein in the upper limb that drains blood from the arm, shoulder, and chest.

• It is a continuation of the brachial vein and becomes the subclavian vein as it passes under the clavicle

• Receives blood from the brachial vein

subcalvian vein

carries deoxygenated blood from the upper limb, shoulder, and part of the head and neck back to the heart

brachiocephalic vein

a large vein in the upper chest that carries deoxygenated blood from the head, neck, upper limbs, and upper thorax back to the heart

anterior tibial vein

a deep vein in the lower leg that helps drain deoxygenated blood from the anterior (front) part of the lower leg and foot

posterior tibial vein

a deep vein in the lower leg that drains deoxygenated blood from the posterior (back) part of the lower leg and foot

popliteal vein

• A deep vein located behind the knee that collects deoxygenated blood from the lower leg and carries it toward the heart.

• It is formed by the union of the anterior tibial vein and posterior tibial vein in the lower leg.

small saphenous vein

a superficial vein in the lower leg that drains deoxygenated blood from the lateral (outer) side of the foot and posterior calf.

great saphenous vein

• the longest superficial vein in the body, running along the medial (inner) side of the leg and thigh.

• it drains deoxygenated blood from the foot, leg, and thigh into the femoral vein near the groin.

femoral vein

a deep vein in the thigh that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower limb back to the heart.

external iliac vein

a major deep vein in the pelvic region that drains deoxygenated blood from the lower limb and pelvic region. I

internal iliac vein

It collects deoxygenated blood from the pelvic organs, gluteal muscles, and internal structures (such as the reproductive organs, bladder, and rectum) and drains it toward the common iliac vein.

common iliac vein

• A large vein formed by the union of the internal iliac vein and the external iliac vein.

• It is located in the pelvic region and carries deoxygenated blood from the lower limbs, pelvic organs, and lower abdomen to the inferior vena cava, which then returns the blood to the heart.